See You Then

Available on demand, See You Then is within that genre I love about the conversation of your life, centering in this film on two exes getting together years after their breakup. Uniquely, this film features an Asian American lead (Lynn Chen) and a trans woman (Pooya Mohseni), meeting up years after their breakup and after her transition. While the LGBTQ+ aspect is a portion of the story, it resides with equal weight to the trauma of a break-up, paths not taken, and the wonder of what if. I think what makes this conversation-of-your-life genre work is how messy, complicated, and visceral the conversation can get, and this film delivers. In this indie film, the camera angles seem awkward at times, though I think it's partially to share the awkwardness of the moment.

This movie drew me in from the start and kept me captivated throughout. It is a moving and powerful story that unfolds through a conversation between two women who haven't seen each other for over ten years. I love the way their conversation flows so naturally - evolving and slowly revealing their complex emotions. We all have to come to terms with what makes us who we are and what we want our lives to look like. I grew to care about these women (portrayed by two really great actors), and the end does not disappoint.

Filmmaker Mari Walker is unafraid to peel away the armor we tend to put up with old acquaintances--in this case, old lovers with a unique history and buried secrets. She grinds her characters down until there's nothing left but the truth. It's beautiful, harsh, honest.

Back in college, they were a couple. 15 years after an abrupt departure, Kris and Naomi reconnect, over dinner, drinks, and a visit to the college campus. Kris has transitioned into a woman, whereas Naomi has moved from performance art to art professor. Besides keeping up on their respective lives, feelings about old times come up.

The performances are great. However, there are loose ends, mostly in how they got from one point to another, More importantly, there is a hefty loose beginning. I have trouble believing Naomi would be unemotional about her boyfriend leaving without explanation or contact, and many years later (15 is my estimate from numbers in the film) show up as a woman and say "I'm in the neighborhood, let's meet for dinner".

Let me start off by saying that this film is surprisingly good with an impactful twist, and it's one of those foods that you want to get your snacks and drinks and get comfortable prior because you will not want to miss one second. This film is nothing short of excitement and brilliance as the cast and crew deliver a well developed film that grabs for your attention from the very start. Without giving away any spoilers, the directors creativity allows the mind to venture in and feel as though you are a part of the movie in a orthodox Way. I would recommend watching at least once to see how this movie affects you, but overall it was a pretty good job, and I would recommend it to fans of romance.